Cerys's health forces tour cancellation

Cerys Matthews still has not recovered enough to tour

Catatonia have scrapped their entire UK tour -including a Welsh date - due to the continuing health problem of lead singer Cerys Matthews.

The Welsh band were due to mount an eight venue tour next month in support of their current album Paper Scissors Stone.

A statement released on Wednesday by the group's label, Warners, said the dates, which had already been rescheduled from July, would not now take place at all.

The statement added Matthews would not have "recovered sufficiently" from her treatment for "anxiety and exhaustion."

Cerys: "I work hard and play hard"

"Cerys had hoped that she would have recovered sufficiently to honour the dates but unfortunately it has proved otherwise.

"The main priority at the moment is Cery's well-being," read the official statement.

Last month Catatonia cancelled their headlining appearance at the Guildford Live festival this weekend after Matthews was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic.

The band had already pulled out of three festivals following the singer's health problems.

They cancelled a gig at BBC Radio 1's One Big Sunday in Plymouth , and also pulled out of the Witness Festival in Dublin.

Matthews, 32, had a hectic schedule promoting the new album but her record company said last month she would "take a step back from ongoing promotion"

Matthews has spoken recently of the "depression" which led to the singer losing her self-belief.

The problem led to an extended silence for the band until their latest release.

Cerys had hoped that she would have recovered sufficiently to honour the dates but unfortunately it has proved otherwise

Warner's statement

In an interview with Q magazine in June, Matthews spoke candidly of the strain of pop stardom and touring.

The singer admitted to having suffered a breakdown last year after becoming "worn out" by the band being catapulted into the public eye.

Catatonia's latest single, Stone By Stone, was released last month.

The cancelled dates are Birmingham Academy (September 17), London Forum (19), London's Shepherd Bush Empire(20), Bristol Colston Hall (22), Manchester Academy(23), Nottingham Rock City (25), Port Talbot Afan Lido (26), Cambridge Corn Exchange(28).

The band apologised to their fans for the inconvenience and the "obvious disappointment" the cancellation had caused.

Tickets will be refundable from the point of purchase.